Liminality

What happens after you miss the last train home:

2012-02-17T01:45:00.005+08:00

The Greatest Trolling I've Ever Done

2012-02-16T13:15:00.022+08:00

I'm sorry Lisa.

Here's what trolling is really about:

Heh.

Okay okay, here it is.

Poetry in Motion

2012-02-15T11:20:00.003+08:00

Difficulty Level: Asian

2012-02-14T11:35:00.007+08:00

No words can describe the awesomeness of being able to eat a bowl of noodles with only one chopstick.

Not one pair - Just one stick.

Coming home tonight...

2012-02-13T23:40:00.000+08:00

I was walking through the void deck alone.

A happy young couple was walking towards me.

She noticed I was holding flowers.

I noticed she was not.

And when I looked back, I noticed they were not such a happy couple anymore.

Sungha Jung is my blog's new Manson Mun

2012-02-13T12:39:00.005+08:00

And this is one of my favourite songs.

Of which this rendition is priceless.

What is this I can't even

2012-02-10T13:40:00.003+08:00

I can't

Today

2012-02-09T22:10:00.000+08:00

Love is not enough...

2012-02-09T16:37:00.004+08:00

I'm saving pictures of the stupid things kids post on Facebook...

2012-02-08T11:18:00.000+08:00

... for their weddings maybe.

So I was just shopping online...

2012-02-07T12:56:00.007+08:00

When I came across this:

You can buy and sell them...

Used?

Challenge: Learn to play the Ukulele

2012-02-06T13:43:00.008+08:00

And play it like this:

Imagine...

2012-02-05T22:25:00.000+08:00

If you were born in a different place and time, to different parents from those you have now.

Your genes are different, so you look different.

Your siblings too, are different.

You go to a different school and you have different friends.

You might even be a different gender from what you are now.

Now let me ask you a question... Suppose such a person exists.

Your soul in a different body and space and time.

Can you imagine what it might be like for you now to meet this person?

Someone who looks absolutely different from you.

But something about him or her... feels strangely... the same.

Would you be able to recognize yourself behind all that?

The Powerful Forest

2012-02-03T12:22:00.018+08:00

Growing is Forever from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Fiction tries to imitate nature's awesomeness:

I feel small in a huge forest.

But there's something more to nature than I can describe, and it keeps drawing me back to itself.

Kinda true...

2012-02-02T12:37:00.006+08:00

But no, it was only a waste right up to the time just before University.

University is fun.

Logos Hope

2012-02-01T12:43:00.023+08:00

One of the most memorable moments of my stay on the ship involved a conversation with a girl from Kazakhstan.

What's a girl from a largely non-Christian, land-locked country, doing on a Christian ship anyway?

And she had such an amazing story of how God opened the door for her to come and I was so encouraged by her testamony.

On my last day on the ship, I left her a gift.

Heh. Go figure.

Every car needs one

2012-01-31T13:07:00.006+08:00

Oh yeah.

I'm so proud I'm Asian

2012-01-30T12:32:00.004+08:00

Oh my goodness. How do you play lead and bass and percussion at the same time?

Bystander Effect

2012-01-29T23:57:00.000+08:00

On Saturday I was at home getting ready for my fencing competition.

I heard a baby wailing somewhere in my block from my bathroom window.

There's a difference between a baby crying, and a baby screaming.

One is the sound you hear when a baby wants food.
The other is the sound of a baby in pain.

The wail I was hearing was the screaming kind, and it persisted for quite a while.

I was quite distressed.

Here's the thing:

It could well be nothing serious. Maybe it's just a normally noisy baby.

And my intrusion would be awkward. Un-welcomed.

But...

What if one day I read in the papers that someone in my block had abused their child?

How can I live with the knowledge that I heard the screams not just once or twice, but never did anything?

Let's say I decide to act. What should I do? Knock on their door? Call the police?

What would you do?

This made me so sad...

2012-01-27T12:54:00.000+08:00

It's like they don't want to live on this planet anymore.

2012-01-26T12:37:00.004+08:00

I'm not sure which is worst.

2012-01-25T10:56:00.008+08:00

Having Taylor Swift as an ex-girlfriend...

Or having Adele as an ex-girlfriend.

Would you rather your ex trash your house and interrupt your wedding...

Or for her to turn up uninvited at your house after she finds out you've settled down?

On a different note... both of these girls became famous with heartbreak songs.

Now would you rather be the ex she sings about... the one who once dated a superstar and will forever be trolled for giving her up...

Or would you rather she had stayed by your side all the way, but never became a superstar?

This is a cake

2012-01-24T13:07:00.021+08:00

As a Sociologist, I see within this cake signs and symbols of cannibalism, objectification of the female body and mass consumption on more than one level.

But I also see a cake and I feel hungry.

Ah, the human condition.

I know I posted this before

2012-01-23T14:47:00.002+08:00

But this is the song I talk about in the post below.

Yours faithfully.

2012-01-23T13:23:00.238+08:00

Highway run

Into the midnight sun

Wheels go round and round

You're on my mind

I have a calling. And it's to go where few go and to help those that few help. I feel called to go to India to work with the oppressed, and everything that I am and have been seems to be leading me in that direction.

Restless hearts

Sleep alone tonight

I have a struggle though. For my friends know that I, more than most, desire a life partner. And it's true, for the longest time, I have greatly desired a wife.

They say that the road

Ain't no place to start a family

Right down the line it's been you and me

It was the second time my closest friend and I had talked about why we were not together. It was a difficult topic to breach, because it was not easy to find an answer. And if we could not find an answer to why we should not be together... then what?

We enjoyed each other's company, we got along with each other's friends and family, and our school friends were already teasing us about being together. We were supporting each other personally and were effective in ministering to schoolmates together. So why were we not together?

There was only one thing we lacked: I felt called to go, she didn't.

Right down the line between you and me.

It went right down the line between her and I. But it also went right down the line between my desires and God's desires for my life. I could not have both. If I was to follow God by hitting the road and she was going to stay home, we all know being apart ain't easy on this love affair. At most I would still be but sending all my love along the wire, but not holding her in my arms.

I would be forever "yours faithfully"... Not a loving husband by her side, but the words "yours faithfully" that she reads at the end of all my letters just before I sign off yet again.

Wondering where I am lost without you

It's always hard to give up something you love. It wasn't the first time I had let go of a girl to follow God, but that didn't make it any easier. It's difficult to answer the question of "why am I putting myself through so much pain?" when it presents itself every other night. At times I feel lost... and wish so much for someone to hold and to hold me, but the reason why I'm in pain is the same reason preventing me from finding solace.

I get the joy of rediscovering you

Oh Lord

You stand by me

But God doesn't shortchange. He honors sacrifices in his name, as Matthew 19:29 says. And in giving up on my desires for a wife, I drew ever closer to God and what he desires for me, which satisfies in a way nothing else on earth could. With God I finally find real meaning and purpose in life.

I'm forever yours

Faithfully

This song was on replay on my computer for days at end, not just because it so aptly captured the tension I was facing at the time and put emotions into words, but because it was to me a prayer.

The song is so raw and honest, like the battered and broken heart I was offering to God. I gave him my heart and soul once and for eternity, and seek to live up that promise day by day, faithfully.

Punggol - The Last Haven

2012-01-20T22:55:00.000+08:00

In a bustling city like Singapore with it's busy streets and tall skyscrapers, it is rare to find a place of quiet tranquility and peace. Punggol is one such place- a small village in the north-east, largely untouched and un-spoilt by the outside world.

Punggol is located on the north-eastern tip of Singapore, and even has its own MRT station. Contrary to popular belief, Puggol is in fact a part of mainland Singapore, and is actually located on the mainland. The perception that Punggol is located off the mainland is often attributed to the misleading MRT system map, which positions Punggol station outside the outline of the Singapore coast.

Top-right end of the Purple Line, seeming offshore, is Punggol Station.

The original plan for Punggol back in 1996 was big. Then Prime minister Goh Chok Tong spoke at his National Day Rally about a town for the 21st Century, a new model for housing quality, and the project was named Punggol 21. Thousands of houses would be built, and recreational facilities would spring up to cater for the growing population in Punggol. The building began, but then the 1997 Asian financial crisis hit, and with a decrease in demands for new houses, the building stopped. And having not reached the critical population mass needed to support entertainment centers yet, Punggol was left with plenty of new houses, but little else other than that.

The first settlers came to Punggol no more than 10 years ago. Back then, there was no MRT line, and soft drinks were sold in glass bottles at the only super market in the entire village. The village lacked many of the modern facilities common in other neighborhoods, but people did not complain, spending their time flying kites at the many open fields or trekking in the nearby woods. There was a rustic charm about a village so detached from the rest of the city and so close to nature that soon made the villagers love their land.

A 2-inch cicada found along a corridor in Punggol.

They are responsible for most of the forest's music.

After a series of events that affected Punggol but went unreported in the state media (the village experienced tremors from Indonesia and a major blackout), it became clear that Punggol was a place separated from the rest of Singapore not only by physical distance. They were being overlooked, but the people living in the un-spoilt land were secretly happy that their land would remain untouched by the greed of capitalist society, at least for a period.

Things began to change with the opening of the North-East Line on 20 June 2003. By this time the villagers in Punggol were quite happy to live their lives away from the rest of the island. It took a while before people in Punggol actually started filling the trains to travel out of the village.

Peak hour at Punggol.

Then in September 2004, Punggol Plaza opened. It was the first shopping centre in the whole neighborhood, and was initially heralded as the end of the age of innocence for the village. But somehow the greed and consumerist culture did not take hold in Punggol as it had done elsewhere when a shopping mall opens. A possible factor for this was how the plaza catered to the culture in the village- Stationary shops sold bamboo framed kites, and the plaza was probably the only shopping centre in the whole nation that did not have a fast food joint. As such, villagers were often seen heading to the plaza in their pajamas, some children even carrying their bolsters.

Then in 2007 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced Punggol 21-Plus. And that was the end of Punggol as we knew it. It was no longer going to be... untouched.

By 2008, KFC opened in Punggol Plaza. In Christmas 2010, Popeyes opened at Punggol waterway. By mid 2011, a second KFC had opened. Then last month... McDonalds opened.

For at least a month before its opening, McDonalds had been publicizing its presence. There has never been major publicity for any of the other fast food joints around Punggol (not counting the road signs that tell us where to find them, but just plain adverts like the one above). They even organized a McDonalds' Punggol-Waterway Run to raise awareness about their arrival, as well as promote a healthy lifestyle that complements the calorie rich diet they provide. Punggol was now being exposed to the outside world.

Punggol McDonalds' opened on 6th December. Soon after, there was a big karaoke competition held just outside its golden arches with a lion dance troupe to grace the occasion. But not everyone was celebrating. Some villagers saw the coming of Ronald McDonald as the end of Punggol's age of innocence and were visibly affected when they walked by the fast food joint.

Does the arrival of McDonalds' really mean that Punggol can no longer live apart from the greed and desires of capitalist society? Or can the locals find a delicate balance between village life and the encroaching urban culture; their Dora the Explorer pajamas and the formalities involved getting dressed to go to McDonalds?

Time will tell, and that telling time has come.

For your reference ladies...

2012-01-20T12:47:00.000+08:00

What she said from 4:02 to 4:15 is absolutely true by the way.

The baby Triops

2012-01-19T17:28:00.006+08:00

Sadly, my excitement was short-lived.

But life is like that. The good Lord giveth, the good Lord taketh away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Hold on to things loosely.

And thank God for the time given you to love.

I thought Monday was Friday

2012-01-19T15:55:00.002+08:00

The first time I went to collect my new passport, I forgot to bring my IC.

And my old passport.

This time, I made sure I remembered to bring the essential documents.

But when it came to signing a declaration of my citizenship, I crossed out the wrong option and declared that I have citizenship in another country.

Once again, my own stupidity baffles me.

I rushed back to school, ran up staircases, printed my notes in a hurry, gobbled down my lunch and burst into the classroom when the lecturer had already started.

Then I stopped.

Why were there other guys here in my Gender in Malay Societies class?

I quickly dashed out as the class erupted in laugher.

What had happened? I was here on the right day at the right classroom. How did I end up crashing the wrong class?

Oh.

I was an hour early.

Once again, my own stupidity baffles me.

2nd Lessons for 2012: Learn to laugh at life

2012-01-19T12:37:00.017+08:00

All images from www.despair.com.

In a sociological perspective, why did Marianne spend 10 months Africa?

2012-01-18T12:32:00.086+08:00

After graduating from Meridian Junior College in 2009 (and picking up the Student of the Year award), 19 year old Marianne Hui took a path less travelled- instead of entering university the following year, she spent 10 months in Africa working with orphans, HIV/AIDS sufferers, and abandoned babies. In a society of steep competition, where anyone who falls behind in the rat race is frowned upon, Marianne’s trip was seen not just as an act of great compassion, but great bravery.

“I think the only thing that people were concerned about, it wasn’t really

much of a concern for me, was whether I would find it a challenge to be

a year behind my peers by putting off school for one year.”

Marianne’s trip to Africa can be seen as brave from several perspectives. Other than challenging the social norm of what a normal Junior College student does after the “A” level examinations (especially one who did well), she also challenged gender norms, and had to sacrifice many of the luxuries that Singaporeans take for granted, such as Wi-Fi.

“Much of the time I didn’t have access to the internet, which meant that

I did not have access to emails, to Facebook, to Skype… which meant

that I could not keep in contact with people at home like my family or

my boyfriend at the time and even other friends. And when I was in

Zambia, even my phone wasn’t working, so I was totally cut off. At

times it was hard, but it was actually better that way, so that I could

fully experience what it was like to be away and just learn live in the

community there, rather than being pulled back by the desire to be

home, that would keep me from enjoying my time there more.”

While the experience above is a stark contrast from the rest of her female peers, it was not that far from what the boys Marianne’s age were going through in the army. Not having Internet access, being in a new environment, at times being totally cut off from family and friends, and falling behind the girls their age academically were things common to all boys coming out of Junior College and serving in the army. Yet while Marianne’s experience was not a unique one, it was deemed as brave because it was not something she was forced to do, unlike the boys, but rather done out of choice. In fact the boys who had to give up the same could appreciate her sacrifices even more, and respected her for what she chose to forgo.

To understand why Marianne went to Africa, it is important to look into the social factors that influenced her decision. The first of which was her involvement with religious organizations. Marianne was a devout Christian who had been serving in her church for years. As a result, her life values and priorities were not totally in sync as that of Singapore’s secular society. Capitalist economy advocates striving after material wealth, but Marianne was looking for more intangible goals in life thus her decision to go to Africa. When asked what she was hoping to get out of the trip, she answered, “Spiritual growth and a direction in knowing what to study and also what I would eventually do with my life. And just to find a new family that shared the same love for God.” This was a stark contrast to the Singaporean dream of prosperity.

“To go was just the conviction in my heart that I could not ignore;

The knowledge that God was calling me, and I acted on it.”

While the spiritual nature of the “calling” that Marianne received was not something that can be easily explained sociologically, the social factors that allowed her to carry through the decision were much more visible. The biggest factor that influenced the decision and the act of her going was probably that of her family background.

“My dad’s a pastor and a missionary, he met my mom in Operation

Mobilization (a Christian missions organization), the organization I that

I joined. My dad currently works there as well- my mom too… So

generally my whole family is very involved in missions; very supportive.”

While Marianne’s actions were at odds with societal values, they were much more in line with her family’s value system. And having interest in a similar cause as her parents allowed her to tap into what Bourdieu (1983) refers to as the Social Capital of her parents: She had a wide range of resources available through her parents who were members of this international organization (Operation Mobilization, or OM). Marianne eventually signed up for a program run by OM and “they handled everything pretty much; Accommodation, food, programs, communication, finance…” This made the entire preparation process much simpler and the trip more feasible than if she had planned it on her own.

“People in church are extremely supportive of my parents, the work

that they’ve been doing. I think they saw it as legitimate when their

daughter wanted to go and they sent me with the same amount of

support that they did (with) my parents.”

The position of Marianne’s parents in the eyes of her church also contributed to her Social Capital, which in this case translated into crucial financial support: “The church covered almost all of what (Marianne) needed to raise in order to be able to go.” Finances were a major hurdle in the process of preparing to go to Africa, as her family (being missionaries) was not wealthy, the trip would cost a lot of money, and she would have to forgo a scholarship just to go on the trip. The Social Capital generated by her parents’ service to the church thus translated into much needed financial resources for Marianne.

“I think because my parents are missionaries, I’ve grown up having

a positive impression of missions. And them being supportive about

this helped a lot. I might not have been able to go had they not been

supportive or I might have given up trying to go if they haven’t been

so supportive.”

Unlike most Singaporean parents who would discourage their children from taking time off school, Marianne’s parents gave her a level of support that encouraged her to make such a trip. In fact, the destination “eventually became Africa when (Marianne’s) dad suggested the training program which was apparently really good as a foundation for spiritual life and also for life in general.” This further shows the extent of their support for her- her dad was the one who suggested where to go.

“It was going to Africa – It was unfamiliar, it wasn’t like Cambodia or

India or somewhere in Asia, but it was Africa- a continent that we

don’t often hear about other than that there are famished children

dying of starvation.”

Given her family background, it is logical that Marianne ultimately chose to go to Africa. A continent commonly associated with hunger, poverty and danger, anyone who goes there is generally seen as altruistic. If Marianne had gone to another developing country like Cambodia or India, she would still need to qualify that she was going to help the poor rather than holiday. But going to Africa required no such explanation; people assumed she was like Bono. This could be a form of social reproduction of her parents position in society- Marianne would now be seen as doing the same altruistic things her parents do, and thus attaining the same kind of Social Capital (in terms of social position and networks) that they had attained in their years of serving the church and the Christian organization OM.

The 10 months Marianne spent in Africa were seen by most as brave, particularly because it was so different from what any other 19 year-old girl living in Singapore would do.

“The pace is such that it’s very hard to slow down or to break out of

the norm. People are so caught up with the competitiveness of life

from the time you are a student up to when you’re working, just a

competition to be on top and anything that can threaten that is seen

as just not a priority.”

In analyzing Marianne’s act from a sociological perspective, it is clear that she was acting in line with the priorities of her religious family culture, which had greater impact on her than Singapore culture. Having been born abroad and spending the first few years of her life on the mission field with her parents, the influence of her family’s culture seemed to outweigh that of the culture she was in. Thus though it is difficult to understand her spiritual “calling” to do the brave act, we can understand how her social position helped make it a reality.

References:

Bourdieu, Pierre. (1983). "Ökonomisches Kapital, kulturelles Kapital, soziales Kapital" in Soziale Ungleichheiten (Soziale Welt, Sonderheft 2), edited by Reinhard Kreckel. Goettingen: Otto Schartz & Co. pp. 183–98. Translated by Richard Nice.

Captions

2012-01-17T12:46:00.004+08:00

Saw this at a toy shop:

Loved the caption:

Fact.

The Des-er-Dawn Monster

2012-01-16T15:12:00.001+08:00

I had to wait until after Christmas to post this.

You see I bought pets last year.

But they were not... normal pets.

Here was my chat log from the day I hatched them:

17 minutes later...

17 days later...

Well let's just say they grew up well:

That's right. The ancient Kabuto fossils were resurrected to life and I had some awesome pets.

These Triops were absolutely fascinating to watch. They breathed through their legs so they wold keep needing to swim around, and their many legs would move in a mesmerizing wave pattern.

Too bad you can't see that here in a static picture.

Look at the two tails in the Triops above. It has a damaged shorter one, but it would be as good as new once it undergoes it's next moult.

That's right, they shed their outer skin like how crabs and prawns do. And because of that they double in size every day for the initial period of their lives. It's mind-blowing.

Above is the final picture I took of the 3 adults together. (One later got caught in my pump.) The one lying upside down is not dead. They tend to swim to the surface upside down to let their legs feel for food, and when they find it they hold on to the food, and because they stop paddling as much, they sink to the bottom while chewing on their pellets.

They were so weird! But these guys were so fascinating I could watch them for hours.

Alas, they do have short life-spans, and in a month's time my tank had run its course and the Triops were dead. It was quite sad, for these guys gave me so much entertainment.

Anyway, I had a water plant in the water so I did not throw out the water as I felt bad killing the plant. (I know right? But it has life too. These people who only eat vegetables are cruel. Plants did no harm, unlike meat animals, so how can we eat them! But I digress.)

I checked the water for mosquitoes every day. It was after all, stagnant. And a week or so later, I found something wriggling in the water and got ready to throw out the water.

But it wasn't a mosquito larva. Against all odds, one baby had just hatched!

The circle of life had continued!

Sungha like you

2012-01-16T12:30:00.003+08:00

Upcoming...

2012-01-13T14:26:00.025+08:00

Marianne has just launched her book.

I think it's about time for me to put up my essay on my sister's bravery.

(I got an A for it, thankfully.)

In 1500 words, I tried to answer this question:

In a sociological perspective, why did Marianne spend 10 months Africa?

In other words:

Without talking about God,

objectively explain why Marianne spent 10 months in Africa.

I'll tell you...

It was a tough essay to write.

I'll post it up this coming Wednesday.

What I hope to do by the end of this year.

2012-01-13T12:23:00.000+08:00

Spot the Differences

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

There are at least 23.

The tragedy of cross-referencing love song lyrics

2012-01-11T13:10:00.027+08:00

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you.

-Adele

Her lyrics are so sad because we all know from other singers that it's impossible to do what she said.

I've looked for love in stranger places

but never found someone like you.

-Melee

I could search the whole world over, until my life is through,

but I know I'll never find another you.

-The Seekers

Gender in Malay Societies

2012-01-11T00:59:00.000+08:00

I ran down the corridor to my classroom.

AS1, 02-01.

It was a weird location.

"What is this place!!!" I screamed as I flew down the alley, but my voice echoed back to none but me.

There were no humans in this entire floor of the building.

I reached my classroom, and there were spider web threads on my face.

I kid you not.

I sat down in the classroom and removed my specs to clean off the web.

When I put my specs back on, I was startled.

Looking around quickly at all my classmates, I loudly asked,

"Where are all the guys!?!"

17 students taking this module.

16 girls.

This was going to be an interesting semester.

And I was going to make the best use of it.

I turned around to the girl behind me and introduced myself.

"Hi, I'm Justin," I said.

She giggled, then there was an awkward silence.

Finally she smiled and said, "I'm Justina"

When the teacher asked a question, no one answered.

She looked at her class roster that had our faces printed on it.

"I'm going to start calling names," she threatened, "although all of you seem to look the same in these small pictures."

I was the first to answer.

"You must be Justin," she responded.

"How did you guess?" I replied.

You'll never guess what I did on the last day of 2011...

2012-01-10T13:14:00.005+08:00

Alright, alright; It wasn't all that bad.

See? I'm smiling.

And I was happy cuz that was the day I ticked off one of my life's goals.

To all my secret keepers,

2012-01-09T21:13:00.000+08:00

Or to anyone who wants to be my secret keeper...

I need a sign to notify you guys of something major happening in my life.

A code word perhaps, that the moment I say, you shall know that I have something important to tell you.

The code word must be something rather... uncommon, so I won't accidentally use it, but not to the extent that it is suspicious.

Alright. My codeword will be: "Strawberry Shortcake".

So the moment you hear me say it, it means that you, as one of my closer friends who hold me accountable in life, should approach me whenever you can because there has been some major development in my life that I need to update you about.

Now...

To all of you who do not know the significance of the 18th of November 2011...

Strawberry Shortcake.

Singapore Film

2012-01-09T10:14:00.020+08:00

We have hope.

I was randomly surfing through YouTube when I found these local and notable 3 minute short films:

Nice huh! I love the soundtrack.

This one is cool in its cinematography too:

Ah but if you only have time for one, you must watch this one.

You'll understand when you watch it.

These videos might be up only till the 20th so... don't miss it please.

Especially the last one.

My problem the past 2 nights.

2012-01-08T23:37:00.000+08:00

Marxist View of the World

2012-01-06T13:00:00.004+08:00

El Empleo / The Employment from opusBou on Vimeo.

The first lesson of 2012 is to learn to laugh at ourselves:

2012-01-05T12:37:00.008+08:00

Sniff...

2012-01-05T00:58:00.000+08:00

I am an Introvert

2012-01-04T12:03:00.141+08:00

If you really want to understand me better, you need to understand what it means to be an introvert, and this article that I'm taking from this link explains that quite well.

Instead of explaining what introverts are, explains what introverts are not.

I'll tell you how much I match up to each section.

Here are a few common misconceptions about Introverts:

Myth #1 – Introverts don’t like to talk.

This is not true. Introverts just don’t talk unless they have something to say.

They hate small talk. Get an introvert talking about something they are

interested in, and they won’t shut up for days.

This is true. Ask me to talk or write about politics and I will struggle for days and nights. Ask me to talk or write an essay on Pokémon and I overshoot the word limit by 1000 words.

Myth #2 – Introverts are shy.

Shyness has nothing to do with being an Introvert.

Introverts are not necessarily afraid of people. What they need is a reason

to interact. They don’t interact for the sake of interacting. If you want to

talk to an Introvert, just start talking. Don’t worry about being polite.

It's tiring for me to interact. I sometimes ask why I am friends with someone and when it's difficult to answer that question, I find it difficult to meet with the person.

Myth #3 – Introverts are rude.

Introverts often don’t see a reason for beating around the bush with

social pleasantries. They want everyone to just be real and honest.

Unfortunately, this is not acceptable in most settings, so Introverts can feel

a lot of pressure to fit in, which they find exhausting.

Social pleasantries don't come naturally to me. I need to consciously do it. It is great for a while, but it really does get tiring to behave in a certain way. I'm not talking about acting for a few days, just acting for a few hours will drain me out.

Myth #4 – Introverts don’t like people.

On the contrary, Introverts intensely value the few friends they have.

They can count their close friends on one hand. If you are lucky enough for an

introvert to consider you a friend, you probably have a loyal ally for life. Once you

have earned their respect as being a person of substance, you’re in.

Definitely true. When I ask myself why I'm friends someone, the long list of answers that I have for my closer friends will always give me a reason to pursue these relationships.

Myth #5 – Introverts don’t like to go out in public.

Nonsense. Introverts just don’t like to go out in public FOR AS LONG.

They also like to avoid the complications that are involved in public activities.

They take in data and experiences very quickly, and as a result, don’t need to

be there for long to “get it.” They’re ready to go home, recharge, and
process it all. In fact, recharging is absolutely crucial for Introverts.

I can't stay in a party for long before getting totally drained and shutting down. It's happened several times at noisy parties my friends brought me to, and they start getting worried for me, thinking I was sick because I suddenly went quiet.

Myth #6 – Introverts always want to be alone.

Introverts are perfectly comfortable with their own thoughts. They think a lot.

They daydream. They like to have problems to work on, puzzles to solve.

But they can also get incredibly lonely if they don’t have anyone to share

their discoveries with. They crave an authentic and sincere

connection with ONE PERSON at a time.

Leave me alone with my thoughts and I'll soon be able to come up with wonderful stories to tell you, of stars and trees, of owls and dreams and traveling. But leave me alone with my stories and I get lost in my own thoughts and dreams, which can sometimes be very realistic. This is why I need and treasure so much my close friends who know me well enough that I can share the deep and personal thoughts I have with. I take extra effort over years just to built those few friendships.

Myth #7 – Introverts are weird.

Introverts are often individualists. They don’t follow the crowd.

They’d prefer to be valued for their novel ways of living. They think for

themselves and because of that, they often challenge the norm.

They don’t make most decisions based on what is popular or trendy.

Er... Yes I am what Amanda calls, "unstandard". I'm so weird they have to come up with a word outside of the English language just to describe me. I think the explanation is true, but the conclusion is opposite. Introverts like me are weird. But try not to see it as a bad thing. Think of it as being more... "unstandard"

Myth #8 – Introverts are aloof nerds.

Introverts are people who primarily look inward, paying close

attention to their thoughts and emotions. It’s not that they are incapable of

paying attention to what is going on around them, it’s just that their inner

world is much more stimulating and rewarding to them.

I'm very sensitive to emotional cues and read into the little things, which means it doesn't take a lot to get me emotional. I cried once during Lilo & Stitch, twice during Tangled, and wept my eyes out reading the final episode of the graphic novel series I followed called "Y:The Last Man". And that is just the fictional world. The real world and the human complexity sometimes overloads my brain to the extent that it's a mess I cannot appreciate.

Myth #9 – Introverts don’t know how to relax and have fun.

Introverts typically relax at home or in nature, not in busy public places.

Introverts are not thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. If there is too much

talking and noise going on, they shut down. Their brains are too sensitive

to the neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Introverts and Extroverts have

different dominant neuro-pathways. Just look it up.

I love to walk in the forest, close to nature, especially at night when I'm totally alone. That's when I meet God and come back refreshed and inspired.

Myth #10 – Introverts can fix themselves and become Extroverts.

A world without Introverts would be a world with few scientists, musicians,

artists, poets, filmmakers, doctors, mathematicians, writers, and philosophers.

That being said, there are still plenty of techniques an Extrovert can learn in

order to interact with Introverts. (Yes, I reversed these two terms on purpose

to show you how biased our society is.) Introverts cannot “fix themselves”

and deserve respect for their natural temperament and contributions to the

human race. In fact, one study (Silverman, 1986) showed that the

percentage of Introverts increases with IQ.

Hey, shouldn't you be the one fixing yourself to be like me? Heh I'm kidding. Introversion and Extraversion are biological. It's based on our brain structure. So let's learn to live with each other. I can't do things the way most people do them and I'm sorry because it's just not in my nature. But if you give me the freedom to roam and do things my way, I can give you much more than you expect.

This Magician's Good

2012-01-03T10:36:00.002+08:00

New Year Calandar

2011-12-31T22:28:00.013+08:00

Have you got yours yet? I found several at PageOne.

One was Star Wars themed, one was Avatar themed.

But one of them caught my attention more than the rest.

It was a 2012 themed calendar for 2012.

Yes, every month is a disaster.

December is London facing the eruption of a volcano. There's also one of Paris being hit by a cyclone, New York by earthquake, and Venice being flooded.

Hope for the new year.
IFIKF, IFIKS

(I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad.)

So much to say...

2011-12-30T11:13:00.010+08:00

So sweet.

So sad.

So much hope for our film industry.

So little hope for the civil engineers.

The ones who give most to the country don't reap the rewards.

I think...

2011-12-29T12:57:00.003+08:00

I should not have told my psychiatric nurse friend about my imaginary friend.

Empty City

2011-12-28T12:28:00.005+08:00

The fog rolled back just enough to reveal the house

with no glass on its windows and no knobs on its doors.

They stood there for a moment, silent

staring at paint peeling off the walls.

She would not wander closer

he could not stand far away.

Transfixed on the road she stayed, swaying

as he went through the front door.

There was no roof overhead

grass was growing through the floor.

He stood there inside the open, thinking

this was the home he fought for.

I decided to not let my food poisoning stop me from celebrating Christmas to the max

2011-12-27T02:07:00.000+08:00

With that kind of gung-ho mentality, I soon found myself lying on a sofa-bed in the storeroom of my church friend's house as the rest were having the evening party.

My stomach was rolling in the deep and I was so weak I had asked for a place to lie down, and my kindly host prepared the bed for me.

I was helped to the room where I lay down, and they turned off the lights and closed the door.

I soon realised that that wasn't such a good idea.

I was dehydrating, I was feeling faint, and I felt a tingling sensation in my fingers. I knew from previous (rather traumatic) experience that this meant I was not getting enough salts and my body might cramp up and go into shock. Happened once to my hands. Not fun.

To make matters worst, I was too weak to get up. Every muscle in my arms and legs had shut down. I needed to drink, but I could not get to any water.

My throat was parched. I hardly drank anything today- I could barely hold down the can of Hundred-Plus and didn't want to use the toilet more. No food and drink = no diarrhea, so I didn't eat and hardly drank. But no food and drink also = no energy.

I lay paralyzed on the bed, so close to help yet so far away. I heard people walking past the door, some even talking about me, but I could not call to them for water. I tried to call out, but with no energy and a dry tongue, my voice just could not be heard over the din of the party outside.

No food and drink = die.

After a while I gave up hope in being heard, but I did not give up trying. I continued calling for help, softly but surely, mustering whatever strength I could, hoping someone would come and check on me soon.

Then, like an answered prayer, the door opened.

But no one was there.

Or so I thought.

At the bottom of the door, sniffing its way in, was my friend's pet dog that had first welcomed me to their house by learning my scent. It had just pushed open the door and come in to save me.

"Sparkle," I called the dog by name and pleaded, "go get my mom."

As it left the room, my mom came in.

Clever dog. Saved my life.

I need to buy it a Christmas present now. What do dogs like?

Melanie: Justin, you're such good house-husband material.

2011-12-26T13:00:00.011+08:00

Cherie, would you want a house-husband?

Cherie: No.

Melanie: Me neither.

Final Night

2011-12-23T12:10:00.000+08:00

I cried listening to their story the way Yaoqi cried listening to Angeline K's.

2011-12-22T12:55:00.004+08:00

"I want to own an ERP."

-Tate

Psalm 40

2011-12-21T13:10:00.007+08:00

¹⁶ But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who long for your saving help always say,

“The LORD is great!”

¹⁷ But as for me, I am poor and needy;

may the Lord think of me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

you are my God, do not delay.

Obvious Oblivious

2011-12-20T12:11:00.006+08:00

According to a new study, people can't tell the difference between quotes from British "lad mags" and interviews with convicted rapists.

Read about it here.

I don't think I need to add anything to this finding. It speaks enough about how disrespectfully women are portrayed by men's magazines.

"Please give me another last chance."

2011-12-19T12:19:00.008+08:00

Ernest Hemingway, one of the greatest authors of all time, was once challenged to write a complete story in just six words. Never one to shy from a challenge, he wrote: "For sale: baby shoes, never used."

What would your complete six-word story be?

(Source)

Youth Camp 2011

2011-12-17T16:30:00.001+08:00

Amazing things happen when I get out of God's way.

The Real Heroes

2011-12-16T10:45:00.035+08:00

Anyone's who ever played any fighter-pilot simulator games will tell you that the toughest missions are ones that require you to protect heavy transports or bombers.

It's easy to fend for yourself when your plane moves as quickly as the enemy, but it's absolutely frustrating to have to protect the friendly heavies that travel slowly.

You are trying to get kills, you are trying to score points, but sticking to the bombers don't let you do so.

It's so easy to get caught up glory hunting that you leave your convoy unprotected while you engage enemy planes.

Yes you rack up more kills than anyone else, and become a hero on your own, but you lose track of the bigger mission.

For a fighter pilot to put the transports first is an incredible sacrifice.

Kudos to these guys.

The real heroes are the ones we don't hear about.

Hello Lisa!

2011-12-15T16:32:00.007+08:00

My blog hits have been increasing almost daily for the entire week.

The increase in viewership however, is solely from my American audience.

Wait... how do I say "audience" in the singular?

So scary even a scary dog is scared...

2011-12-15T12:36:00.000+08:00

Trust Tumblr to respond to this video:

I like this poem more than the rest

2011-12-14T12:15:00.015+08:00

In fact I think I like it best.

If marrying a prince is what girls desire
Then men like me can jump in the fire.

(Refer to Roald Dahl's Cinderella below.)

Cinderella

2011-12-14T12:14:00.007+08:00

by Roald Dahl

I guess you think you know this story.

You don't. The real one's much more gory.

The phoney one, the one you know,

Was cooked up years and years ago,

And made to sound all soft and sappy

just to keep the children happy.

Mind you, they got the first bit right,

The bit where, in the dead of night,

The Ugly Sisters, jewels and all,

Departed for the Palace Ball,

While darling little Cinderella

Was locked up in a slimy cellar,

Where rats who wanted things to eat,

Began to nibble at her feet.

She bellowed 'Help!' and 'Let me out!

The Magic Fairy heard her shout.

Appearing in a blaze of light,

She said: 'My dear, are you all right?'

'All right?' cried Cindy .'Can't you see

'I feel as rotten as can be!'

She beat her fist against the wall,

And shouted, 'Get me to the Ball!

'There is a Disco at the Palace!

'The rest have gone and I am jealous!

'I want a dress! I want a coach!

'And earrings and a diamond brooch!

'And silver slippers, two of those!

'And lovely nylon panty hose!

'Done up like that I'll guarantee

'The handsome Prince will fall for me!'

The Fairy said, 'Hang on a tick.'

She gave her wand a mighty flick

And quickly, in no time at all,

Cindy was at the Palace Ball!

It made the Ugly Sisters wince

To see her dancing with the Prince.

She held him very tight and pressed

herself against his manly chest.

The Prince himself was turned to pulp,

All he could do was gasp and gulp.

Then midnight struck. She shouted,'Heck!

I've got to run to save my neck!'

The Prince cried, 'No! Alas! Alack!'

He grabbed her dress to hold her back.

As Cindy shouted, 'Let me go!'

The dress was ripped from head to toe.

She ran out in her underwear,

And lost one slipper on the stair.

The Prince was on it like a dart,

He pressed it to his pounding heart,

'The girl this slipper fits,' he cried,

'Tomorrow morn shall be my bride!

I'll visit every house in town

'Until I've tracked the maiden down!'

Then rather carelessly, I fear,

He placed it on a crate of beer.

At once, one of the Ugly Sisters,

(The one whose face was blotched with blisters)

Sneaked up and grabbed the dainty shoe,

And quickly flushed it down the loo.

Then in its place she calmly put

The slipper from her own left foot.

Ah ha, you see, the plot grows thicker,

And Cindy's luck starts looking sicker.

Next day, the Prince went charging down

To knock on all the doors in town.

In every house, the tension grew.

Who was the owner of the shoe?

The shoe was long and very wide.

(A normal foot got lost inside.)

Also it smelled a wee bit icky.

(The owner's feet were hot and sticky.)

Thousands of eager people came

To try it on, but all in vain.

Now came the Ugly Sisters' go.

One tried it on. The Prince screamed, 'No!'

But she screamed, 'Yes! It fits! Whoopee!

'So now you've got to marry me!'

The Prince went white from ear to ear.

He muttered, 'Let me out of here.'

'Oh no you don't! You made a vow!

'There's no way you can back out now!'

'Off with her head!'The Prince roared back.

They chopped it off with one big whack.

This pleased the Prince. He smiled and said,

'She's prettier without her head.'

Then up came Sister Number Two,

Who yelled, 'Now I will try the shoe!'

'Try this instead!' the Prince yelled back.

He swung his trusty sword and smack

Her head went crashing to the ground.

It bounced a bit and rolled around.

In the kitchen, peeling spuds,

Cinderella heard the thuds

Of bouncing heads upon the floor,

And poked her own head round the door.

'What's all the racket? 'Cindy cried.

'Mind your own bizz,' the Prince replied.

Poor Cindy's heart was torn to shreds.

My Prince! she thought. He chops off heads!

How could I marry anyone

Who does that sort of thing for fun?

The Prince cried, 'Who's this dirty slut?

'Off with her nut! Off with her nut!'

Just then, all in a blaze of light,

The Magic Fairy hove in sight,

Her Magic Wand went swoosh and swish!

'Cindy! 'she cried, 'come make a wish!

'Wish anything and have no doubt

'That I will make it come about!'

Cindy answered, 'Oh kind Fairy,

'This time I shall be more wary.

'No more Princes, no more money.

'I have had my taste of honey.

I'm wishing for a decent man.

'They're hard to find. D'you think you can?'

Within a minute, Cinderella

Was married to a lovely feller,

A simple jam maker by trade,

Who sold good home-made marmalade.

Their house was filled with smiles and laughter

And they were happy ever after.

What is love?

2011-12-13T17:48:00.000+08:00

Love is coming home after a long day, absolutely famished for sleep, but spending the next hour with a penknife and tweezer trying to remove the fallen strands of hair that have gotten trapped in my sister's chair's wheels, getting grease under my nails and getting cut by the filthy penknife.

Object lesson

2011-12-13T13:14:00.009+08:00

I caught this in church

And released it outside.

But it ran back into church.

True story.

I tried to debate with God today...

2011-12-12T12:11:00.007+08:00

But my argument was invalid.

I'm writing this with teary eyes

2011-12-10T23:51:00.002+08:00

I missed a luna eclipse.

I'm heartbroken.

Well at least I got to see the new moon tonight.

It may have been twilight, but the new moon looked like it was breaking dawn.

I walked all the way out into the wilderness to see the moon, but I didn't know there was an eclipse about to happen.

And I missed all the smses and facebook notifications telling me an eclipse was coming coz I was busy concentrating on making a card for a half Korean girl in school.

I want to cry. I really hope she likes this card.

This is the kind of life I live

2011-12-09T13:39:00.018+08:00

Endless Roads 1 - Yellow Horizons from Juan Rayos on Vimeo.

(It's worth watching in fullscreen)

I don't mean it in the sense of me wanting to go somewhere beautiful and enjoy the most amazing sights and scenes and have an adventure of a lifetime while doing something cool.

I'm already living this life every time I go out and explore a part of Singapore I've not seen before.

I wish to share this with you coz sometimes... life is as good as how poetic you allow yourself to be.

On the LRT tonight

2011-12-09T01:13:00.000+08:00

Was a man scolding his reflection in the glass silently but viciously,
a man singing to himself without earphones on,
and a man who wasn't sure if his friend was real or imaginary.

My imaginary friend

2011-12-08T01:44:00.002+08:00

It was Melanie who first pointed out that she had never seen this Elsa I kept talking about, and although I convinced her that Elsa was not a unicorn, Melanie still concluded that she was my imaginary friend.

I decided to prove her wrong.

But the more I thought about it... The less I could.

Melanie and I wrote an entire story about Elsa for a project this semester. Which does not prove her existence but instead makes her more of a fictional character.

But I went out with her last week! Yet... the moment we bumped into someone else I knew, she ran off before I could introduce her.

Elsa has been helping me write the scripts for the skits at camp. But... I've always written alone.

This is crazy where this is going, I mean... I took a picture of her before!

You have got to be kidding me.

I didn't make all this up. I'm thinking back and realizing all of these things only now.

I'm freaking out.

Wait.

Let me describe Elsa.

She's always in black. Literally.

Always wearing the same thing.

Always wearing that one owl ring.

Grrr... Why could I not take the shot on her hand and not mine?

She spends her holidays in the library.

She grew up fist-fighting and wrestling boys.

She is the biggest Star Wars fan I know. The only female one.

Oh my goodness. All of the above are impossible.

She actually doesn't exist.

She's just a personification of my subconscious.

This explains why I'm the only one posting on her wall on FB.

And it explains why the ring I let her buy, even though I liked it and saw it first when we were out shopping, is now on my table even though she did not give it to me.

You may not be real Elsa, but I still think it's freaking cool to talk to you.

Just maybe not when I'm with other people.

Can you do this with other songs?

2011-12-08T00:50:00.002+08:00

maggie and milly and molly and may

2011-12-07T12:07:00.006+08:00

by E. E. Cummings

maggie and milly and molly and may

went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang

so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star

whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing

which raced sideways while blowing bubbles: and

may came home with a smooth round stone

as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose(like a you or a me)

it’s always ourselves we find in the sea

Psalm 69:6

2011-12-07T11:53:00.000+08:00

May those who hope in you

not be disgraced because of me,

O Lord, the LORD Almighty;
may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me,
O God of Israel.

Dear Desiree,

2011-12-05T00:52:00.000+08:00

I've been wrapping presents. But I've had a big problem.
I don't have the slightest idea what to give you.

I want to give you something different.
Something cool... and also hot.
Something deep but also pretty.
Something Artsy... but also Sciency.
Something... like all of the above... like you.

I want to give you something that's so you but...
I keep facing the difficult questions...

What is you?
What is present?
What is past?
What is life?
What is death?

Bleargh. I want to give you something but I can't.

Wait.

I actually had something kept at the depths of my room.
Something I wanted to have a competition on FB for people to fight for.
Something old but new.
Something wet, but dry.
Something living, but dead.
Something... something.

Something forged in the depths of time.
Something I had to travel over great distances to find.
Something I braved lightning and thunder and floods for.

Something I had to fight desperately for to win.

(YinShuang will testify that what I say is true.)

Okay I know what to give you.

I wrote the second part of this post a day after the first. I only thought of the gift after I lamented at my inability to give my dear friend an appropriate gift. I hope you like it, because I've tried my utmost best and found nothing better I could possibly to give you.

Other than maybe the head of Jon on a platter.

But that's not nice.

Is it normal for guys to have extreme mood swings?

2011-12-03T02:24:00.000+08:00

I went from depressing low to euphoric high and crashing back to low.

The cycle repeated at least 3 times tonight.

Oh, whatcha do to me? Oh, whatcha do to me?

I never really played computer action games

2011-12-02T12:37:00.002+08:00

I just saw this video trailer for a new game.

I have no idea when gaming got so realistic; here is footage from the game itself:

People complained about the new Lara Croft being so soft and whiney, but I think she's realistic... and brave. Given such circumstances, for a young college girl who had been trapped to not hang around, give up hope and wait to be rescued - but instead desperately run and fight amidst a serious injury, is amazingly courageous.

Sigh... She reminds me of Stephanie Brown.

I miss her.

Worry less about not finding Mr. Right

2011-12-02T00:17:00.002+08:00

Worry more about marrying Mr. Wrong.

Love this

2011-12-01T11:30:00.001+08:00

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf

2011-11-30T11:30:00.012+08:00

by Roald Dahl

As soon as Wolf began to feel

That he would like a decent meal,

He went and knocked on Grandma's door.

When Grandma opened it, she saw

The sharp white teeth, the horrid grin,

And Wolfie said, "May I come in?"

Poor Grandmamma was terrified,

"He's going to eat me up!" she cried.

And she was absolutely right.

He ate her up in one big bite.

But Grandmamma was small and tough,

And Wolfie wailed, "That's not enough!

I haven't yet begun to feel

That I have had a decent meal!"

He ran around the kitchen yelping,

"I've got to have a second helping!"

Then added with a frightful leer,

"I'm therefore going to wait right here

Till Little Miss Red Riding Hood

Comes home from walking in the wood."

He quickly put on Grandma's clothes,

(Of course he hadn't eaten those).

He dressed himself in coat and hat.

He put on shoes, and after that,

He even brushed and curled his hair,

Then sat himself in Grandma's chair.

In came the little girl in red.

She stopped. She stared. And then she said,

"What great big ears you have, Grandma."

"All the better to hear you with,"

the Wolf replied.

"What great big eyes you have, Grandma."

said Little Red Riding Hood.

"All the better to see you with,"

the Wolf replied.

He sat there watching her and smiled.

He thought, I'm going to eat this child.

Compared with her old Grandmamma,

She's going to taste like caviar.

Then Little Red Riding Hood said, "

But Grandma, what a lovely great big

furry coat you have on."

"That's wrong!" cried Wolf.

"Have you forgot

To tell me what BIG TEETH I've got?

Ah well, no matter what you say,

I'm going to eat you anyway."

The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.

She whips a pistol from her knickers.

She aims it at the creature's head,

And bang bang bang, she shoots him dead.

A few weeks later, in the wood,

I came across Miss Riding Hood.

But what a change! No cloak of red,

No silly hood upon her head.

She said, "Hello, and do please note

My lovely furry wolfskin coat."

Orly?

2011-11-29T22:25:00.000+08:00

,__,
(O,O)
/),',',',)
ˆ ˆ

Forever Alone

2011-11-28T11:28:00.000+08:00

Let me begin by saying that this post is not an emo one.

I love the Forever Alone guy you see above.

He's the representation of rebellion against the hegemonic notion of having to get attached or life is not worth living.

But most of all, he gives us a way to laugh at ourselves by laughing at him.

You see, we're not seen as that different if we have someone/something/a symbol to identify with.

I love being single, and I'm glad I am.

There was a time when I was not glad to be single, but I realised if I didn't know how to enjoy life alone, how was I ever going to enjoy life married?

So I resolved to live life to its fullest, with or without someone.

And I am happy, and I can laugh at myself, the Forever Alone guy, and Severus Snape:

Wahahaha!

Alright now why did I even brought this up? I think it's an apt way to introduce this Monday's music video. It's one of the most catchy songs I know, and it's such a celebration song, used even during Marianne Lee and Sam's wedding.

These guys... while playing a most awesome song about love, TROLLED!!!

And in the process of celebrating love, ended up affirming the singles too, because the only single people in the whole video were the coolest ones, the very ones who were playing to the song of love loudest.

This blog is gonna go through a major revamp

2011-11-27T20:44:00.002+08:00

If the state of my table reflects the state of my life, then a change of blogskin shall represent a change in my life.

I lasted till day 22

2011-11-26T12:17:00.014+08:00

Haha. It's funny come to think back at what I wrote 80 days ago.

I was in pain then, but knew not who I could talk to. So I blogged, but because I could not have it appear immediately- I was not ready to talk to people about it- I queued it to be posted in future. At least I got it off my chest then.

And thank you Kim for coming to my aid when I didn't want it but needed it.

Anyway, today is my 8th day of not liking anyone. Haha.

But this time it's different.

Or so we'll see. Hahah.

I wrote this on the 5th day

2011-11-25T11:25:00.073+08:00

I didn't want to post this video, but I think I should.

It is simple, well filmed, and captures an emotion perfectly.

They are asian, but have a heavy American accent.

So to give you a head start, the first line said is:

"Did you love him?"

When this video started, I felt as though my heart stopped.

But it was not in the way that my breath was taken away.

No, it was different this time.

It felt like my heart was totally guarded from the emotions that arose.

It was strange to me- I watched it and thought it a nice film, but it did not affect me the way films like this used to.

I've never seen a short film I've liked so much, that I didn't like so much.

This post is not about the film by the way, it's about me.

I noticed something about myself while watching this film.

You see I wrote this blogpost on the 5th day...

the 5th consecutive day that I did not like anyone.

I know it's no big deal to you that I could hold out for 5 days without falling for a girl, even though I tend to be attracted to them easily.

It's not a big thing to me either.

But it's just that this time... I feel different.

I'm... tired.

Of romance, and love, and all that this world tells us to hold dear.

I'm tired.

I wrote this on the 5th day and scheduled it for a distant date in the future.

If I still continue feeling the same way as I did when I wrote this post...

Then today would be day 80.

I wonder if I this feeling will last.

We'll see.

What women want

2011-11-24T11:24:00.174+08:00

My friend YatKah posted this on FB:

And it got me thinking...

This must have been written by a guy...

Because it is so true.

I have spent the past 10 years studying women (I'm not kidding. I even minored in gender studies and wanted to major in it had there been that option), but after all my extensive field research, I find I'm still left with a tabula rasa (i.e. the book above).

I still don't understand a thing about women.

Women are like quantum mechanics; You are not supposed to understand quantum mechanics. And i don't mean it's difficult to understand- the fundamental rules of quantum mechanics, like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, dictate that we do not know and cannot know what is really going on on the quantum level. If we do understand, it's not quantum mechanics.

Let me quote S. Weinberg, the nobel laureate who asked his friend about a promising student of Physics who had dropped out of the course:

I asked Candelas what had interfered with the ex-student's research.

Candelas shook his head sadly and said,

"He tried to understand quantum mechanics."

Some things are not meant to be understood.

But that does not mean that we as men have not learnt anything...

Here was my reply to YatKah's post on the book "Everything Men Know About Women":

And it was not only her who agreed.

Women will always be an enigma. But that is fine because both men and women struggle to understand them - and it's not men's fault alone (even though most guys don't realise that).

_-_-_

Now is the opposite true for men?

Well someone attempted to play the same joke but now it was directed towards understanding men.

My first thought was that this book was written by a woman.

It is so false.

But it was actually written by a guy... which leaves me little to say in his defense after he shot himself in the foot and told the world what he thinks all men think about, though it's probably only him.

Come on, the moment I saw the title of this book I had so many thoughts to fill this book with!

I probably need to prove this to female readers. Fine, here's what the book will really have on the inside if it was true:

There you go. The guys will get it.

Guys like to break stuff down, literally and figuratively. They love big explosions and the cannons that cause them. They pride themselves in being able to understand things that are too complex for most women to bother trying, and are often excited by mechanical details and techniques.

Ah, but for as long as men pride themselves in being able to understand the most complex of systems, women will always be able to humble them by reminding men that they never have, and never will understand women. Never mind the fact that women don't understand themselves. Thus life is fair.

PS: I have shown you that men think of a lot more than sex most of the time, but i think i need to highlight a circumstantial exception: I'm sorry to say this... but men become perfect reflections of the blank book (What All Men Think About Other Than Sex) in the presence of a provocatively dressed girl. It's not easy for men to think about anything else in her stimulating presence. On that note, ladies, please be kind to men and dress up nicely and decently, especially if you want them to be thinking ~~nice thoughts~~.

There Are Holes In The Sky

2011-11-23T11:23:00.006+08:00

by Spike Milligan

There are holes in the sky

Where the rain gets in

But they're ever so small

That's why the rain is thin.

She thinks, therefore I am...

2011-11-23T01:27:00.000+08:00

She thinks I'm a man,
therefore I am a man.

Oh my goodness I'm facing the mother of all identity crises now.

One cloudy day...

2011-11-22T12:32:00.007+08:00

I was at the canteen having my lunch.

It was just after a heavy downpour.

As I stared closely, I saw a whole lot of rainflies rising up from the ground.

The birds were swooping through the air and plucking them off in mid-air.

It was a massacre.

Cringe-Worthy Awesomeness

2011-11-21T13:02:00.003+08:00

This was filmed before they wrote the song.

Tonight I is Buttercup.

2011-11-19T22:20:00.002+08:00

I heard a hoot

2011-11-19T00:53:00.001+08:00

It stopped me in my tracks.
Then came a second,
Confirming I had really heard it.
By the third I had already climbed over the parapet
and was gazing out into the darkness from the history department.
It was not a pigeon's hoot.
It was not like anything I have ever heard in my life.

I prayed to, but never saw the owl.

What Traveling Around the World Looks Like in 1 Minute

2011-11-18T11:18:00.000+08:00

Rick, Tim and Andrew, three ordinary guys, decided to take a trip of a lifetime: 11 countries in 44 days. 18 flights and 38,000 miles later they have three 1-minute videos showing what life is like around the world.

They recorded everything off two cameras and ended up with over a terabyte of footage which they cut, mixed and matched into an awesomely seamless blend of every notable place they’ve been.

They broke down their trip into three parts: Move, which shows them walking around, Eat, which shows the delectable food they ate, and Learn, which shows all the amazing things they did.

Now go out and get a life.

What does it mean to be alive?

2011-11-17T11:17:00.005+08:00

Started reading the story of Joseph on the train...

2011-11-17T00:31:00.000+08:00

Reached the ending as I got on the NUS shuttle bus, and cried all the way to Arts.

The Pig

2011-11-16T11:16:00.007+08:00

by Roald Dahl

In England once there lived a big

A wonderfully clever pig.

To everybody it was plain

That Piggy had a massive brain.

He worked out sums inside his head,

There was no book he hadn't read.

He knew what made an airplane fly,

He knew how engines worked and why.

He knew all this, but in the end

One question drove him round the bend:

He simply couldn't puzzle out

What LIFE was really all about.

What was the reason for his birth?

Why was he placed upon this earth?

His giant brain went round and round.

Alas, no answer could be found.

Till suddenly one wondrous night.

All in a flash he saw the light.

He jumped up like a ballet dancer

And yelled, "By gum, I've got the answer!"

"They want my bacon slice by slice

"To sell at a tremendous price!

"They want my tender juicy chops

"To put in all the butcher's shops!

"They want my pork to make a roast

"And that's the part'll cost the most!

"They want my sausages in strings!

"They even want my chitterlings!

"The butcher's shop! The carving knife!

"That is the reason for my life!"

Such thoughts as these are not designed

To give a pig great peace of mind.

Next morning, in comes Farmer Bland,

A pail of pigswill in his hand,

And piggy with a mighty roar,

Bashes the farmer to the floor…

Now comes the rather grizzly bit

So let's not make too much of it,

Except that you must understand

That Piggy did eat Farmer Bland,

He ate him up from head to toe,

Chewing the pieces nice and slow.

It took an hour to reach the feet,

Because there was so much to eat,

And when he finished, Pig, of course,

Felt absolutely no remorse.

Slowly he scratched his brainy head

And with a little smile he said,

"I had a fairly powerful hunch

"That he might have me for his lunch.

"And so, because I feared the worst,

"I thought I'd better eat him first."

What to do when doing the night shift

2011-11-15T11:16:00.011+08:00

I was the only one taking care of Ah Kong's body at the wake one night.

I had to remain awake the whole night.

Well...

After eating about a gazillion peanuts I figured I had to do something else.

Inspiration came upon me:

What better time to do be creative?

One Instrument to Scare Them All

2011-11-14T11:30:00.006+08:00

You've heard it in every horror movie.

Now you see the instrument responsible for the freakiest sounds in Hollywood.

Get me one for Christmas and I'll play it every time someone I don't like enters the room.

My name is Justin

2011-11-14T01:00:00.001+08:00

I write this post with my name because I'm being painfully honest. This is me as I really am, not the joker, not the student, not the sunday school teacher, nor the fencer. This is just me, just as I am.

And as Adele says, "You ain't see nothing like me yet."

I post of awesomeness and I do things that seem cool. I enjoy life in its richness and pray against gloom and doom. I try to be big. I try to be mature and make a difference in the lives of people around me. I dream big and hope to one day go out into the field as a missionary.

But... the truth is...

I'm not a man. Not yet.

I don't know what I'm doing, I make a mess out of so many things, and I don't know a lot of things I should at this age. Sure I wish I could be who I was made to be, but I'm still like a boy, and like Melanie likes to say, "Boys are stupid."

I'm still in a liminal stage. I'm still in the transition. I'm half-formed and barely learning to walk, but I hope to one day fly in a world where people are contented with walking or at most running.

And I desire to one day be able to hold a heart in my hands, but... my hands are far too small now.

When I am a man, then maybe I can.

Till then, strength, strength oh Lord.

Give me the strength to be alone till the day these things come to pass.

And tempt me not with anything that may hamper my growing in you.

May my joy be in You and in You alone.